ITEM 114-2704-R0302 Approval
of Proposal to Implement the Master of Science Degree in Athletic Training;
Montana State University-Billings

THAT: The Board
of Regents of Higher Education authorizes Montana State University-Billings to
award the Master of Science Degree in Athletic Training.

EXPLANATION:Purpose of the
Proposed Program: The purpose of
this proposal is to implement an entry-level graduate level athletic training
program through the Department of Health, Physical Education and Human
Services, College of Education and Human Services, at Montana State
University-Billings.

Statement of Need: Through the National Athletic
Trainers' Association (NATA), students interested in becoming
certified athletic trainers can successfully complete the National Athletic
Trainers' Association Board of Certification (NATABOC)
exam. Currently there are two ways that
students can become eligible to sit for the NATABOC exam. First is through a
curriculum-based program where students study the field of athletic training
within a structured education program certified by the Commission on
Accreditation of Allied Health Programs (CAAHEP) in addition to completing 800
hours under the direct supervision of a certified athletic trainer. Second is through the internship route where
students complete course work in health, human anatomy, physical education,
athletic training, in addition to completing 1500 hours under the direct
supervision of a certified athletic trainer.

Historically, professionals in fields related to
athletic training (exercise physiologists, physical therapists, etc.) have
selected the internship route in an effort to become certified as athletic
trainers. Unfortunately for these professionals,
NATA will be eliminating the internship route as of January 1, 2004, forcing
students to: (1) enroll in a school with an accredited undergraduate program
and earn a second bachelor's degree, or (2)
enroll in an entry-level graduate program.
Presently there is only one entry-level graduate program in the United
States admitting 20 students a year.

Whereas Montana State University-Billings is a "comprehensive, regional, public university serving
the education needs of Montanans"
and is committed to "providing a strong
and expanding program of outreach to the state and region," the Department of Health, Physical Education and
Human Services proposes to meet the future needs of students interested in
entry-level athletic training certification by offering a Master of Science
degree in Athletic Training. Currently,
no other University in the region is addressing this unmet need through a
graduate level professional preparation program.

Explanation of
the Proposal: The Department of
Health, Physical Education and Human Services at Montana State
University-Billings proposes to offer a Master of Science degree in Athletic
Training accredited through the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health
Programs (CAAHEP). To accomplish this,
a program director would be hired as a full-time employee of the University who
is currently certified by the NATABOC, has a minimum of three years experience
as a certified athletic trainer, and has adequate experience supervising
student trainers. After a director is
secured, a curriculum would be established that satisfies the CAAHEP guidelines
and enables the program to pursue accreditation. The curriculum would be comprised of a combination of existing
courses and new courses. The minimum
timeline for establishing the athletic training program would be three years
from the time the program director is hired with the first cohort of 20-30
students potentially beginning in the fall of 2003. In order to be accredited by CAAHEP, the athletic training
program would have to be up and running and fully-functional. At the beginning of the first academic year,
the program would apply to the Joint Review Committee on Athletic Training
(JRC-AT) for candidacy status. During
the final semester of the two-year program, the program director would schedule
an onsite visit from JRC-AT who makes the recommendation to CAAHEP as to
whether accreditation should be granted.
As of January 1, 2004, only students who have graduated from an
accredited athletic training program would be allowed to sit for the NATABOC
exam.